Digital security provider Gemalto has announced its deployment of prepaid EMV banking cards to complement Vodacom's M-Pesa mobile wallet service in South Africa.

According to a company press release, the card is certified by the major international payment schemes and accepted at more than 27,000 ATMs and 240,000 EMV-compliant payment terminals throughout the country.  

Gemalto's off-the-shelf solution for Vodacom encompasses design and production of the card, as well as automatic packaging and point-of-sale delivery. The card links seamlessly to M-Pesa accounts, and gives users the ability to make payments for goods and services without the need to carry cash, the release said. 

Additionally, users can check current balances via the mobile wallet app and receive SMS alerts when funds are running low. And because it is a PIN-protected virtual account, the user's credit remains safe even if the card is lost or stolen. 

"By expanding our m-pesa mobile wallet offering with the banking card, we've been able to add an entirely new level of functionality which we think is critical to the success of m-pesa in South Africa," said Herman Singh, Managing Executive of m-commerce at Vodacom.

"With this new project, Vodacom becomes the first mobile operator to initiate the large-scale rollout of an EMV banking card that is accepted anywhere," said Thierry Mesnard, Gemalto senior vice president for Africa. "This innovative deployment highlights just how quickly the worlds of banking, retail and mobile communications are changing."